


Quell

by sungabraverday



Series: Maysilee Donner: Victor [8]
Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Quarter Quell
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-03
Updated: 2013-07-03
Packaged: 2017-12-17 13:22:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/868028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sungabraverday/pseuds/sungabraverday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Third Quarter Quell will have an unusual Reaping, and Maysilee will have to repeat the impossible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quell

There are only the three of them in the front of the square this time, the remainder of the District arrayed behind them, silently watching. Some are thankful, she's sure, but others are scared. They're both right. This isn't going to be pretty, and they're lucky to get out of it. It's not an option for her. It hasn't been for a long time.

Maysilee stands upright, tall and proud. Beside her Katniss is just as firmly standing strong, and across the narrow aisle, Peeta is there too.

The Mayor takes to the stage, and this year she can see a glint of salt water in his eye - he may be the Capitol's choice, but no matter what happens, part of his family is going into the arena, and that's got to be difficult.

Effie Trinket takes to the stage, and unusually for her, she's dressed in black. Admittedly it's glittery and feathery, but it's black, no bursts of colour, just mourning. She'll doubtless deny that, point out that coal is black too, and so Maysilee's heart goes out to her because she does not, cannot, know that Maysilee is not going to let them die, if it takes a revolution to take them home.

It's going to take a revolution to bring them home.

Effie's hand dips into the bowl, so huge for just those two slips of paper. She plucks one of them with fingernails shaped like knives and painted dangerously silver, and cracks open the seal.

For the second time, it's her own name that fills the square. She doesn't move, though. For the second time, Katniss volunteers. It is cold and calculated and decided well in advance, but her voice is strong in Maysilee's ear, and Maysilee swears to herself again that she's done the impossible before, and for these two she will do it again.

There is only one name in the other reaping bowl, and the entirety of Panem watches as Effie says, "Peeta Mellark" and her son walks back onto that stage. He crosses the stage to where Katniss is standing and takes her hand and then pulls her lightly toward him and kisses her tenderly.

She pulls away with a smile that Maysilee knows much too well - fond, but not in love - and she has no idea who she feels the most sorry for in this whole dreadfully messy situation.

She shoves her sympathy into the corner of her soul that hasn't lost it's humanity yet, and gets on the stage to wave to them all as the mentor of this exquisite disaster of a love story. She waves to the District, to the cameras, to Panem.

She's coming to burn them to the ground, and her smile might be the most evil one she's ever given.


End file.
